chéngjiù: 成就 - Achievement, Accomplishment, Success

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• Summary: 成就 (chéngjiù) is a fundamental Chinese word for a significant achievement or accomplishment. It goes beyond simple “success,” implying a substantial, hard-won result that brings a sense of fulfillment and is often worthy of recognition. Understanding chéngjiù is key to grasping how Chinese culture values perseverance, major milestones, and the tangible results of dedicated effort in one's career, studies, and personal life.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chéngjiù
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A significant accomplishment or achievement; or, the act of achieving something great.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 成就 (chéngjiù) as a “major milestone” or a “crowning achievement.” It's not for small, everyday wins. It's the word you use for graduating with a degree, publishing a book, leading a project to completion, or building a successful career. It carries a sense of weight, effort, and lasting value. As a noun, it's the accomplishment itself; as a verb, it means to bring about this significant result.

• 成 (chéng): This character means “to complete,” “to become,” or “to succeed.” Pictorially, it's often associated with a weapon (戈) and a nail or task, symbolizing the completion of a crafted object or a finished duty. It represents the finality and success of an action.
• 就 (jiù): This character means “to undertake,” “to approach,” or “to accomplish.” The character contains components that suggest moving towards a high place or goal. It implies engaging with a task and seeing it through.
• When combined, 成就 (chéngjiù) literally means “to complete an undertaking.” This powerful combination emphasizes not just finishing something, but bringing a significant endeavor to a successful and recognized state of completion.

In Chinese culture, 成就 is deeply valued and often viewed through a collective lens. While personal satisfaction is important, an individual's 成就 is frequently seen as bringing honor to their family, company, or even the country. A useful comparison is with the Western concept of “success.” In the West, “success” can be highly individualistic, sometimes fleeting, and celebrated even if it comes “overnight.” 成就 (chéngjiù), however, is almost always linked to the idea of perseverance (毅力 - yìlì) and hard work (努力 - nǔlì) over time. There's an implicit understanding that a true 成就 is earned through a long and arduous process. It's less about a sudden breakthrough and more about the construction of a legacy, whether it's a stable career, a masterpiece of art, or a scientific discovery. This reflects a cultural emphasis on diligence, planning, and contributing to a greater whole.

成就 is a relatively formal and strong word. You wouldn't use it for finishing your homework, but you would use it for graduating with honors.

• In Professional and Academic Settings: This is its most common habitat. People discuss career achievements (事业上的成就), academic breakthroughs (学术成就), or a company's accomplishments (公司的成就). It's a standard term in resumes, performance reviews, and official commendations.
• In Personal Life: It's used for major personal milestones that require significant effort, such as mastering a musical instrument, running a marathon, or raising a successful child. A key related term here is 成就感 (chéngjiù gǎn), meaning a “sense of accomplishment,” which describes the profound feeling of satisfaction one gets.
• As a Verb: Less common in daily conversation but used in more formal or literary contexts, 成就 can mean “to make possible,” “to bring to fruition,” or “to help someone achieve greatness.” For example, “His wife's support achieved him” (他妻子的支持成就了他).

• Example 1:
  • 这是我一生中最大的成就。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ yīshēng zhōng zuìdà de chéngjiù.
  • English: This is the greatest achievement of my life.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using 成就 (as a noun) to describe a significant personal milestone. The tone is sincere and weighty.
• Example 2:
  • 您在事业上取得了哪些成就？
  • Pinyin: Nín zài shìyè shàng qǔdéle nǎxiē chéngjiù?
  • English: What accomplishments have you made in your career?
  • Analysis: A formal and respectful question, suitable for a job interview or a formal discussion. Note the use of the verb 取得 (qǔdé - to obtain/acquire) with 成就.
• Example 3:
  • 完成马拉松给了我巨大的成就感。
  • Pinyin: Wánchéng mǎlāsōng gěile wǒ jùdà de chéngjiù gǎn.
  • English: Finishing the marathon gave me a huge sense of accomplishment.
  • Analysis: This introduces the crucial related term 成就感 (chéngjiù gǎn), the *feeling* of achievement. This is extremely common in daily life.
• Example 4:
  • 是多年的努力成就了今天的他。
  • Pinyin: Shì duōnián de nǔlì chéngjiùle jīntiān de tā.
  • English: It was many years of hard work that made him who he is today.
  • Analysis: Here, 成就 is used as a verb, meaning “to make” or “to forge.” It implies that the hard work was the key ingredient that created his current success.
• Example 5:
  • 这个项目的成功是我们团队共同的成就。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù de chénggōng shì wǒmen tuánduì gòngtóng de chéngjiù.
  • English: The success of this project is our team's collective achievement.
  • Analysis: This highlights the collective nature of achievement often emphasized in Chinese culture.
• Example 6:
  • 他虽然很有才华，但一生都没什么大成就。
  • Pinyin: Tā suīrán hěn yǒu cáihuá, dàn yīshēng dōu méishénme dà chéngjiù.
  • English: Although he was very talented, he didn't have any major accomplishments in his life.
  • Analysis: Shows the negative usage. “没成就” (méi chéngjiù) means to lack significant accomplishments.
• Example 7:
  • 这项科学发现是人类历史上的一个重要成就。
  • Pinyin: Zhè xiàng kēxué fāxiàn shì rénlèi lìshǐ shàng de yí ge zhòngyào chéngjiù.
  • English: This scientific discovery is an important achievement in human history.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 成就 for large-scale, historical accomplishments.
• Example 8:
  • 他的主要成就在于教育领域。
  • Pinyin: Tā de zhǔyào chéngjiù zàiyú jiàoyù lǐngyù.
  • English: His main achievements are in the field of education.
  • Analysis: A formal way to specify the area of one's accomplishments.
• Example 9:
  • 我们不能满足于已有的成就，要继续前进。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bùnéng mǎnzú yú yǐyǒu de chéngjiù, yào jìxù qiánjìn.
  • English: We cannot be satisfied with our existing achievements; we must keep moving forward.
  • Analysis: A common phrase in business or motivational contexts, emphasizing continuous improvement.
• Example 10:
  • A: “祝贺你！” (Zhùhè nǐ! - Congratulations!)
  • B: “没什么成就，只是运气好而已。” (Méishénme chéngjiù, zhǐshì yùnqì hǎo éryǐ. - It's no great achievement, I was just lucky.)
  • Analysis: This is a classic, humble response when praised for an accomplishment. Downplaying one's 成就 is a common feature of Chinese modesty.

• 成就 (chéngjiù) vs. 成功 (chénggōng): This is the most important distinction for a learner.
  • 成功 (chénggōng) means “success” or “to succeed.” It's a broader, more general term. It describes the positive outcome of an action. A meeting can be successful (成功的会议), an attempt can be successful (尝试成功了).
  • 成就 (chéngjiù) refers to the significant, tangible thing that was accomplished. It's the *result* of major or repeated successes.
  • Analogy: You have many successful (成功) training sessions to prepare for a marathon. Finishing the marathon is your achievement (成就). You don't call each training session an 成就.
• Common Mistake: Using 成就 for trivial things. An English speaker might say, “It was an achievement just to finish all my emails today.”
  • Incorrect: `今天回完所有邮件是一个成就。` (Jīntiān huí wán suǒyǒu yóujiàn shì yí ge chéngjiù.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sounds strange and overly dramatic in Chinese. 成就 is reserved for much bigger things. For this, you would simply say you finished your work (我做完工作了) or that you feel a sense of accomplishment (我很有成就感).

• 成功 (chénggōng) - Success. The general state of succeeding, while 成就 is the specific, significant accomplishment itself.
• 成就感 (chéngjiù gǎn) - A “sense of accomplishment.” The personal, internal feeling of pride and satisfaction you get from an 成就.
• 成绩 (chéngjì) - Grades, scores, results (in a test, competition, or specific performance metric). It's a measure of performance, whereas 成就 is a larger milestone.
• 功劳 (gōngláo) - Credit, merit, contribution. This refers to one's role in a successful group effort. Who gets the 功劳 for the team's 成就?
• 事业 (shìyè) - Career, enterprise, undertaking. This is the “field” where one often strives to gain 成就.
• 实现 (shíxiàn) - To realize, to achieve (a dream, goal, or plan). This is the *verb* for making something a reality. You 实现 your dream, and the result might be an 成就.
• 业绩 (yèjì) - (Business/Sales) performance, track record. Similar to 成绩, but specifically for work-related results, especially those measured in numbers. Good 业绩 can lead to a career 成就.
• 成果 (chéngguǒ) - Result, fruit, gain. A tangible outcome of work or research. It's similar to 成就 but can be more neutral and is often used for research findings or project deliverables. An 成就 is always a positive and significant 成果.